Web roll supporting mechanism



Filed Aug. 22, 19 41 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 I NVENTORS W1 zuamf. Huck- Aug. 29 1944. w. F. HUCK EI'AL WEB ROLL SUPPORTING MECHANISM Filed Aug. 22, 1941 4 S heets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS mzuamamekm Aug.29, 1944. HUCK Em, 2,357,259

WEB ROLL SUPPORTING. MECHANISM Filed Aug. 22, 1941 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 I INVEVNTORS WlllidmEHuck.

Aug. 29, 1944. w. F. HUCK EI AL WEB ROLL SUPPORTING MECHANISM Filed Aug. 22, 1941 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTORS WjllidmEHudL.

= GWlflkim Willi B Patented Aug. 29, 1944 C. Wieking, Woodhaven, N. Y., assignors to R. v Hoe & 00., Inc., New York, Y., a corporation of New York Application August 22, 1941, Serial No. 407,896

23 Claims.

This invention relates to web roll supports, and more particularly to reels for supporting web rolls for use in printing machines, and wherein provision is made to receive and support a plurality of web rolls in such a manner that they may be conveniently placed successively in position so that each may have its web fed to the a splice is to be made. It will be observed that v by thus pro-aligning the webs, the necessity for machine in proper alignment, in order that it will be printed in proper register.

Web roll reels are commonly used in connection with newspaper and other high speed printing machines, wherein it is necessary to shift the lead of the web from an expiring roll to a replacement roll, either while the machine is running at full speed, or with minimum loss of time. These reels are arranged to rotatably support a plurality of web rolls and move them bodily from a loading position to a web feeding position, and also to move the rolls axially in order that the edges of the web may be maintained in proper alignment as it is fed to the machine. One necessity for this axial movement is due to faults which occasionally are found in the web rolls, the chief one being in rolls that are misshapen due usually to some accident in handling, whereby the ends of the roll become dished, one end being slightly concaved, and the other end correspondingly convexed. It will readily be understood that when this condition exists, if a full roll is properly positioned to feed paper to the machine in correct alignment, as the roll becomes smaller the web will gradually run out of alignment, and the misalignment will increase progressively with further decrease in the size of the roll. To correct this condition, the reel is moved axially, thus moving'the web roll as required to restore proper alignment of the web.

It is difiicult, if not impractical to load web rolls that do not have 'fiat ends, into reels as heretofore provided, and so position them that the outer web end of a replacement roll will be in accurate alignment with the web running from an expiring roll, at the time when it is spliced thereto.

In the web roll reel herein disclosed, means is rovidedwhereby web rolls may be loaded in the customary manner, and each roll may be axially located with respect to the roll that it follows in the order of use, so that even if either or both of the rolls are defective in the respect mentioned, the edge of that portion of its web which comprises the outer layers of the-roll being loaded, will be in accurate alignment with the edge of the web running from thepreceding roll, when that roll is nearly exhausted and moving the roll support to correct misalignment when a splice is made, isobviated, and no disturbance of the register of the printing nor margin misalignment is caused.-

It is an object of the invention to provide a web roll supporting reel having improved mechanism for effecting rotational and axial movements thereof, and with means for locating individual rolls when loaded in the reel, in such manner that the web of each succeeding roll in the order of its use, will be in accurate alignment with the web running from the preceding roll, at the time when it is necessaryto change the lead of the web from an expired roll to a full roll.

Another object is to provide a web roll supporting-reel having improved mechanism for effecting axial and-bodily motions of the web rolls as required to position them for supplying a web to a machine, and with a minimum consumption of energy. r

It is also an object of this invention to provide an improved web roll supporting reel, which will be relatively simple, durable, and inexpensive in construction, as well as convenient, practical,

serviceable and efficient in use.

With the foregoing and other objects in view,

which will appear as the description proceeds,

Figure 3 is a broken view of the other end of thereel taken on the line 3--3 of Figure 1 with a large gear omitted;

Figure 4 is an enlarged broken end view sectioned on line 4-4 of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 2 through the bearing at one end of the reel;

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken on the line B- 5 of Figure 3 through the bearing at the other end of the reel;

Figure 7 is an enlarged side view of the means to axially adjust a web roll on the reel; 7

Figure 8 is a face view of the mechanism shown in Figure 7 Figure 9 is a sectional view taken on the line 99 of Figure '1;

Figure 10 is a side view of a modified form of the mechanism shown in Figures '7 and 8;

Figure 11 isa broken face view of the form shown in Figure 10;

Figure 12 is a sectional view taken on the line I2I2 of Figure 11;

Figure 13 is an'enlarged'end View of a portion of the web roll supporting reel as shown in Figure 2, and illustrating the means whereby any misalignment between the end of a roll being loaded onto the reel with the end of an adjacent roll on the reel is indicated; other details being omitted for the sake of clearness;

Figure 14 is an enlarged end view of the indicating or gauging means looking in the direction of arrow 14 in Figure 13;

Figure 15 is an enlarged side view of part of the indicating means looking in the direction of arrow 15 in Figure 13;

Figure 1-6 is an enlarged side view of another part of the indicating means looking in the direction of arrow 16 in Figure 13 and showing the portion of the mechanism which extends to the left of Figure 15; and

Figure 17 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line [1 of Figure 15.

It is to be understood that the webroll supporting mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings is especially adapted for use in association with a rotary printing machine having printing plates carried by one of a pair of cooperating rotatable cylinders, indicated diagrammatically at in Figure 2, to operate upon a web drawn into the machine from a web [roll supported by the mechanism. The web roll supporting mechanism shown includes end frames or spiders II and I2 keyed or otherwise secured upon a shaft I3. The shaft is journaled adjacent each of its ends in suitable bearings 14 and I mounted in and carried by hearing members 16 and I1 respectively.

The reel end frames or spiders II and 12 are provided with a plurality of radially extending arms l8|92l and 2223-24 respectively, which are in axially opposed relation and adapted to have web rolls 252621 mounted and supported by and between them.

'As shown in Figure 2, the reel has been rotated to position the expiring web roll 25 in position to have the outer web end of the replacement roll 26 joined to the web 28 which is being drawn from the expiring roll 25 into the printing machine. This joining or splicing of the webs may be accomplished while the machine is running at full speed if desired, by mechanism such as is disclosed in Patent No. 2,182,760. After the webs have been spliced and the web from the roll 25 has been severed, and the machine is withdrawing the web from roll 26, the core of the expired roll 25 will be removed and a new roll substituted. Onthe next rotational movement of the reel the new roll will move into the position of roll 21.

The web roll supporting reel as shown is arranged to be rotated by means of an electric motor 29 (Figures '1 and 3), connected through suitable reduction gears within acasing 31, and a pinion 32 in mesh with a gear 33 secured on the end of the shaft 13, which extends beyond the bearing 14. The motor 29, casing 31 and the pinion 32 are mounted on and carried by a bracket 34 which in turn is supported and carried by the bearing member l6, so that no relative movement other than that of the usual rotation required in the driving operation, will occur between the shaft 13, gear 33, and these aforesaid elements. The bearing members 16 and I1 as shown, are mounted for axial movement in respect to the axis of the reel, upon brackets 35 and 36 which are secured to machine frame members 31 and 38 respectively. Thus, axial movement of the bearing member l1 will simultaneously move the shaft 13, the spiders II and I2, the web rolls 25, 26 and 21 supported 7 thereon, the bearing member I6, the motor 29,

the gear casing 3|, the pinion 32, and the gear 33, and make possible the aligmnent of the web 28 running from one of the web rolls on the reel into the machine, with parts of the machine which operate thereon.

The bearing members 16 and 11 (Figures 4, 5 and 6), are each provided with a pair of spaced apart rollers 39 and 4| upon their underside, which are adapted to ride on hardened steel plates 42 and 43 respectively, provided in runways 44 and 45 onthe brackets 35 and 36. Suitable guide ribs 46 and 41 are provided on each of the brackets 35 and 36 in association with the runways 44 and 45 to guide the rollers 39 and 4| and prevent sidewise movement of the bearing members 16 and I1, and thus insure true axial movement of the reel. The means to axially move the reel with its rotating means, and its constituent parts, includes a motor 48 which is drivingly connected to a rotatable screw 49 (Figure 5 through suitable reduction gears in a casing 51 which supports the motor 48 and is secured to the bracket 36. The screw 49 engages an internally screw threaded sleeve 52 secured in the outer end of the bearing member I1, whereby rotation of the screw 49 by the motor 48 will axially move the reel and the elements associated therewith.

In order to prevent tilting, and avoid axial misalignment of the shaft l3 and the parts carried or mounted thereon, inverted L-shaped members 53 are provided on each bracket 35 and 36, with an arm 54 of each member 53 disposed in position to overlie the rollers 39 and 4|. In order to provide a suitable abutment for the torque thrust produced by the motor 29 at the driving end of the shaft l3, a roller 55 (Figure 3), carried by a lug 56 depending from the bracket 34, is arranged to ride in a groove 51 provided in a bracket 58 secured to the stationary frame member 31.

In the construction disclosed, a Web roll supporthas been provided which includes a shaft, bearings for the shaft, rollers for supporting the bearings, driving means for rotating the shaft, and means for axially moving the web roll support with all of the elements included in its structure, in a smooth and positive manner, and with a minimum of energy. By means of this construction, the web rolls mounted on and carried by the reel are moved axially therewith as required, to align the web running into the machine, with the parts of the machine operating thereon.

To insure that the web of each of the rolls on the reel will be in accurate alignment with the running web being drawn from the roll which immediately precedes it in the order of their use, means are provided to independently adjust each roll axially when loading it into the reel, so that it may be so positioned that its web end will be in alignment with the running web to which it is joined, and in order that this proper position may easily determined, especially indicated so that it may readily be corrected by the adjusting means provided. Thus, the indicating means is arranged to show misaligment between the web edge at the core portion of the web roll 21 and the web edge at the peripheral portion of the new roll being loaded onto the reel. As the web edge at these respective points constitutes the end of the respective web roll, the

' respective roll ends will be referred to hereinafter as being the roll part to be aligned, or registered, and to be gauged by the indicating means.

The means for axially adjusting individual Web rolls on the reel (Figures '7 to 12), includes a spindle BI rotatably mounted in the outer end of each of the reel arms I8, I9, 2|, 22, 23 and 24, in

ball bearings 62 and 63, mounted in and carried by a sleeve 94 which is slidably mounted for axial movement in an opening 65 provided in each of the arm ends, for this purpose, The sleeve is prevented from rotating in the arm end by a stud 66 extending through the arm and into an axially elongated slot 61 provided in the sleeve 64. The sleeve 64 is provided with teeth 68, forming arack upon its peripheral surface, to be engaged by a gear 89 formed on a shaft II mounted in and carried by each of the respective arm ends and extending transversely thereof;

The spindles 6| are each provided with a coneshaped end head I2 adapted to enter the end of the core I3 of a web roll to rotatably support it between opposing arms, when the spindles are extended by rotation of the respective shafts 'II in the proper direction. The shafts II are adapted to be rotated in either direction by means of handles I4, one of which is mounted for free rotation upon an end I5 of each shaft II, which shaft end extends beyond a side of the respective reel arm. In the mechanism shown inFigures '7 and 8, the handle I4 is operably connected to the shaft II by means including another 'arm I6 biases the lever 85V to insure that the tooth 84 will be maintained in mesh with the teeth 83. The provision of a plurality of teeth 83 in the gear segment 82 provides for variation in the length of web roll cores and permits the spindle head 12 to be locked in position over a considerable range of adjustment, though always properly seated in the end of the core 13. When the handle I4 presses the head I2 into the core, the coiled spring 8| will be compressed and constantly urge the head I2 into the core and take up any looseness which may occur during the operation of the machine. I

It will be seen that by manipulation of the handles I4 of opposing reel arms, a web roll supported therebetween on the spindle heads I2, may be positioned axially on the reel as desired to align its web with the web of another roll.

Should greater individual axial adjustment of the web rolls be required, mechanism as shown in Figures 10, 11 and 12 may be employed. In this form, the handle I4, as in the previously described form, is similarly and operably connected to an arm 88, similar to the arm I9 by a bolt 11 and a, coil spring 8|, but the arm 88 is also free to rotate on the shaft II. A supplemental member 89 is keyed to the shaft II and is provided keyed to the shaft II, a bolt I1 extending between a lug I8 on the handle I4 and the free end I9 of the arm I6, and a coiled spring BI disposed about the bolt 11 and reacting between the lug on the handle I4 and the arm end I9. Swinging movement of the handle I4 in one direction will impose pressure on the arm end I9 through the spring 9| to swing the arm I6 and rotate the shaft II in one direction, to slide the spindle BI axially and press its head I2 into the Web roll core 13, Movement of the handle 14 approximately 180 in the other direction will, through the bolt 11, swing the arm I6 in the other direction to draw the spindle head 12 out of the core I3 and retract it completely into the respective arm end, the rack teeth 98 extending along the sleeve 64 sufficiently to permit of such movement of the spindle 6i, whereby the head I2 thereof I may be moved out of the way when a new roll is to be loaded onto the reel.

' Means is provided to lockthe handle I4, and through it the spindle head I2 in its extended and adjusted position, and includes a gear segment 82 secured to the respective reel arm end, the teeth 83 of which are adapted to be engaged by a tooth84 formed on the end of a catch lever 85 pivoted by a pin 89 to the handle I4. A spring 81 reacting between the handle I4 and the lever, 75

with a quadrant portion 91, which extends outwardly therefrom adjacent a lug 92 provided on the arm 88. The quadrant portion 9I is provided with a pluralityof holes 93 arcuately spaced apart and adapted to receive the end of a lockingpin 94 carried by the lug 92 on the arm 88, to releasably lock the arm 88 to the member 89. The pin 94 is biased into its extended position by a spring 95 reacting between a collar 96 secured to the pin 94, and the lug 92 of the arm 88, A knob 9'1 on the outer end of the pin 94 is providedfor use in drawing the pin 94 from the holes 93 in the quadrant portion 9|. It will be seen that this mechanism permits a wider range of position of the spindle heads without exceeding the locking range of motion of the handle I4, and accordingly web rollsthat are considerably dished, may without difficulty be so positioned that their web splices will be in alignment.

In order that the web at the periphery of a new roll I99 (Figure 13), may conveniently be aligned with the web adjacent the core of the next preceding roll 2'! so that when these webs are to be joined, they will be in alignment, an alignment indicating means has been provided.

As herein shown, Figures 13-17 inclusive, it includes three pairs of roll end engaging members, one member of each pair being adapted to be actuated to engage the web edges adjacent to the periphery of and at the end of the new roll I99 being loaded onto the reel, and the other member of the pair to engage the Web edges adjacent to the core, and at the end of the web roll next previously loaded onto the reel. A finger I92 (Figure 13) is secured on a rod I93 whose end is journaled in a lug I94 extending out from the surface of the reel arm upon which the roll 21 previously loaded onto the reel is supported. The rod I93 extends from the lug I94 to and beyond the reel arm 23 upon which the new roll I 99 is to be loaded. From an intermediate point in its length the rod I93 is reduced in diameter (Figure 15), to have a tube I95 rotatably mounted thereon, andupon an end of which a finger I9I is secured. The tube I95 surrounds the reduced portion of the rod I93 (Figure 16) to a point beyond the reel arm, upon which the new roll is to be loaded passing through a pair of spaced loaded roll 21 adjacent its core.

apart lu s I06 and I01 whereby it is supported with the rod I03 and is journa-led therein.

The outer end I08 of the rod I03 extends beyond the outer end I of the tube I and has an operating handle III secured thereto. The fingers MI and I02 are provided with roll end engaging pads vI I2 and H3 respectively (Figure 14). The handle III, is provided with a pointer l I4 which cooperates with a mark '5 provided on an arm IIB secured to the tube I05 adjacent the pointer II4. When the pointer H4 is in alignment with the mark II5 on the arm H6, alignment of the web or roll end engaging pads H2 and H3 is indicated. A coil spring I" (Figure 13) secured at one end to a collar II 8 secured to the rod I03 and at its other end to the finger IOI is tensioned to constantly bias the finger IOI toward and into engagement with the respective web roll end. A pin H9 (Figure 16) extending out from the rod I03 into a peripherally extending notch or slot'I2I provided in the tube end I09 is adapted to engage the tube portion at one end of the slot I2I to limit the rotation of the tube on the rod in the direction as biased by the spring Ill, and a spring catch finger I22 (Figure 17 secured to a reel arm is arranged to engage the end I23 of a pin I24 extending from the rod I03 adjacent I the finger I02 to releasably retain the rod I 03 and through the pin and slot engagement, the tube I05 out of operative position.

When a new roll is being placed in position to be supported by opposing spindle heads I2, the operating handle III is manipulated to rotate the rod I03 clockwise as seen in Figure 14 and release it from the spring catch finger I22, whereupon the spring biased tube will be rotated with the rod I03 to swing the pad II2 on the finger IOI against the end of the roll I00 being loaded, at a point adjacent its periphery. The handle III and the rod I03 are then further rotated sufiiciently to cause the pad II3 on the finger I02 to engage the end of the previously If the indicating pointer I I4 does not register with the indicating mark I I5 on the arm I I6, showing alignment of the pads I I2 and I I3 and thus the alignment of the roll ends at the points engaged by these pads, the spindle heads I2 at each end of the new web roll are adjusted, as above described,

- by proper manipulation of the respective handles 14, to bring the pointer II4 into register with the mark II 5 on the arm IIS. All three pairs of fingers IM and I02 are similarly arranged and actuated as each succeeding pair of reel arms becomes the pair between which a new roll is to be loaded.

It will be understood that the invention disclosed herein may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof, and it is therefore desired that the present embodiment be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive.

What we claim is:

1. In a web roll supporting mechanism, a reel adapted to support a plurality of web rolls, means to axially move the reel to align a roll from which a web is running into a machine with a part of the machine operating upon the web, means to rotate the reel to position it to have a new web roll loaded thereon, means to axially adjust the new web roll being loaded on the reel to align the end thereof adjacent its periphery with the end of a roll previously loaded on the reel, and a gauge mounted on the mechanism and movable to simultaneously engage both of the said rolls, and to indicate when such alignment has been effected.

2. In a Web roll supporting reel adapted to receive and support a plurality of web rolls, means to rotate the reel to position it to have a new roll loaded thereon, means to axially move the reel to align the web running into a machine with a part of th machine adapted to operate upon the web, means to individually and axially adjust each web roll to align its end with the end of another and adjacent roll, and a gauge mounted on the mechanism and movable to simultaneously engage both of the said rolls, and to indicate when such adjustment is required.

3. ma web roll supporting mechanism, a reel adapted to support a plurality of web rolls, means to rotate the reel to position the web rolls in sequence to have the web thereof run into a machine to be acted thereon, means to axially and individually adjust each web roll when being loaded onto the reel, to align the end of one roll at its periphery with the end and at the core of another roll supported on the reel, a gauge mounted on the mechanism and movable to simultaneously engage both of the said rolls, and to indicate when such alignment is effected, and means to axially move th reel to align the web running into the machine, with the part of the machine adapted to act thereon.

4. In a rotatable web roll supporting mechanism, a shaft, bearings for the shaft, rotatable elements for supporting the bearings for axial movement with the shaft, means for moving the shaft axially, and a motor for rotating th shaft associated with one of the bearings and movable therewith when the shaft is moved axially.

5. In a rotatable web roll supporting mechanism, a shaft, a bearing at each end of the shaft, a stationary support at each end of the shaft, rotatable elements carrying each bearing and riding on the adjacent stationary support to support the bearings thereon for axial movement with the shaft, a motor at one bearing to axially move the shaft, and a second motor axially movable with the other bearing to rotate the shaft.

6. In a rotatable web roll supporting mechanism, a shaft, bearings for the shaft, rotatable elements for supporting the bearings for ain'al movement with the shaft, means for moving the shaft axially, stationary guide members for each bearing to guide the rotatable lements and restrict the bearings to axial movement, and driving means for rotating the shaft associated with one of the bearings and movable therewith when the shaft is moved axially.

'7. In a rotatable web roll supporting mechanism, a shaft, bearings for the shaft, rotatable elements for supporting the bearings for axial movement with the shaft, means for moving the shaft axially, stationary guide members for each bearing to guide the rotatable elements and restrict the hearings to axial movement, driving means for rotating the shaft associated with one bearing and movable therewith when the shaft is moved axially, a roller rotatable on a support secured to the said one bearing, and a stationary grooved member to engage the roller.

8. In a web roll supporting mechanism, a shaft, means to support a plurality of web rolls on said shaft, bearings for the shaft, rotatable elements for supporting the bearings for axial movement with the shaft, means to axially move the shaft, means to individually and axially move the web rolls with respect to the shaft, and means to rotate'the shaft' and being in connectioniwith one of the bearings to move therewith'when thev shaft is moved axially. i c g 9. In a web roll supporting mechanism, a shaft, means to sup'porta plurality of web rolls on said shaft, bearings for the shaft, rotatable elements for supporting the bearings for axial movement with theshaft, means to axially move the shaft, axially movable rotatable members adapted to engage the core of each web roll, means to axially move each of the members, including a manually operated handle and a resilient connection between the handle and the member.

10. In a web roll supporting, mechanism, ax ially movable'rotatable members adapted to en-.

gage the core of the roll, meansto axially move said members to engage the roll and to adjust it axially, including a manually operated handle for each member moving means, and a resilient connection between one of the rotatable members and its manually operated handle, adapted to bias the said one rotatable member toward the core of the roll. 11.'In a'web roll support for a printing machine, axially movable rotatable members adapted to engagethe core of the roll, means including a manually operated member for axially moving each of the rotatable members to engage the roll core, and a resilient connection between each manually operated member and one of the said means.

12. In a web roll supporting mechanism, a shaft, means to support a plurality of web rolls on the shaft, bearings for the shaft, rotatable elements for supporting the bearings for axial movement with the shaft, means to axially move the shaft, means to individually and axially move the web rolls in respect to the shaft to align the end of one roll at its periphery with the end of an adjacent roll at its core, and a gauge mounted on the mechanism and movable to simultaneously engage both of the saidrolls, and to indicate misalignment of the roll ends and also to indicate when such alignment is accomplished. 13. In a web roll supporting mechanism, a shaft, means to support a plurality of web rolls on the shaft, bearings for the shaft, rotatable elements for supporting the bearings for axial movement with the shaft, means to move the shaft axially, means to individually and axially move the web rolls in respect to the shaft to align the end of one roll at its periphery with the end of another roll adjacent its core, and a gauge mounted on the mechanism and movable to simultaneously engage both of the said rolls, and to indicate misalignment of the roll ends and also to indicate when such alignment is accomplished, the said indicating means including a first member adapted to be brought into engagement with the end of a roll adjacent its core, a

second member adapted to swing toward the end of another roll to engage it adjacent its periphery, and a device to indicate the alignment relationship of the first and second members.

14. In combination with a rotatable web roll support for a printing machine, a gauge device mounted on the support and having a first member adapted to be brought into engagement with a portion of the end of a web roll being loaded onto the support at a point adjacent the periphery of the roll, a second member adapted to simultaneously engage the end of a web roll previously' loaded onto the support and at a point adjacent its core, and an indicator for indicating the relative positions of the said members, wheresupport at a point adjacent the core of the roll, a

second member adapted to be simultaneously brought into engagement with a portion of the end of a web roll being loaded onto the support at a point adjacent the periphery of theroll' being loaded, and an indicator for indicating the relative positions of the said members, wherebythe movement required to align the outer web end of the roll being loaded onto thesupport, withthe web at the core of the first mentioned roll, may be conveniently determined.

16. In a web roll reel for a printing machine,ai

shaft rotatable to move web rolls successively from a loading position to a web feedingposition, bearing members rotatably supporting the shaft and constrained to axial, motion therewith, supporting members for the bearing members, rollers between the supporting members .andthe bearing members, permitting axial motion of the shaft, means associated with one of the support .ing members for moving the shaft axially, and

means associated with one of the bearing members for rotating the shaft.

17. In a web roll reel for a printing machine, a shaft rotatable to move web rolls successively from a loading position to a web feeding position, bearing members rotatably supporting the shaft and movable axially therewith, supporting members having horizontal ways, rollers running on the ways and arranged to support the bearing members, and means to rotate the shaft and to I porting spindle movable with respect to the reel to engage the roll, a pivoted manually operable member to move the spindle, the said member being adjustably and resiliently connected thereto, and a locking device associated with the said member to hold the spindle in engagement with the roll.

19. In a web roll reel for a printing machine, a web roll supporting spindle movable axially with respect to the reel to engage the Web roll and rotatable therewith, a swinging manually operable member arranged to move the spindle and resiliently connected thereto, a locking device associated with the swinging member to hold the spindle in engagement with the roll, and an adjusting mechanism in the connection between the swinging member and the spindle, whereby the range of motion of the spindle with respect to the swinging member may be varied to suit various positions of the roll axially.

20. In a rotatable web roll supporting mechanism, a shaft, bearing members for rotatably supporting the shaft, stationary supports for the bearing members, rollers interposed, between the bearing members and the stationary supports to permit movement of the bearing members and the shaft axially, a motor on one of the stationary supports for moving the shaft axially, and

a second motor secured to one of the bearing members to rotate the shaft.

21. In a web roll reel for a printing machine, a shaft rotatable to move a web roll from a loadshort shaft, a resilient connection between the second arm and the handle, and a latch adapted to hold the handle with respect to the reel arm, whereby the spindle may be moved axially into engagement with the roll and. will be resiliently held therea-gainst.

22. In a web roll reel for a printing machine.

a shaft rotatable to move a web roll from a loading position to a; web feeding position, a reel arm secured to the shaft, a spindle having a roll engaging head, a sleeve rotatably supporting the spindle and slidably supported in the reel ari'n, means to' slide the spindle-including a track on the sleeve, a gear secured to a short shaft and en.- gaging the rack, a bearing in the reel arm to rotatably' support the short shaft, a second arm secured to the short shaft, a third arm rotatable on the short shaft, means to adjustably secure. the third arm to thesecond arm, a handle rotatable on the short shaft, a resilient connection between the third arm and the handle, and a latch adapted to hold the handle with respect to the reel arm, whereby the spindle may be moved axially into engagement with the roll and will be resiliently held thereagainst, and. by adjusting the third armwith respect to the second arm, the range of motionof the spindle may be changed.

23. In a web roll support for a printing'machine, a rotatable shaft, arms secured to the shaft and adapted to support a plurality of web rolls, a gauge device mounted on one of the arms and. comprising a first shaft rotatably supported. on. the arm and having a gauge member movable therewith which may be moved. into engagement:

with the web roll on the support at a point adjacent the periphery of the roll, a second rotatable shaft concentric with the first shaft and having a. gauge member movable therewith which may be moved into engagement with the end of another web roll on the support at a point adjacent its core, a pair of indicating members, one secured to the first shaft and the other secured to the. second shaft, whereby the relative positions of the first and secondgauge members are indicated" WILLIAM F. HUCK, WILLIAMl C. WIEKING., 

